Transgender women have been prohibited from participating in women’s events at the Olympic Games. This decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) comes after a scientific review revealed the inherent physical advantages of being biologically male.
According to a report by The Times, the IOC is expected to unveil its new policy early next year. Previously, the IOC allowed transgender women to compete with reduced testosterone levels, leaving the final decision to individual sports federations.
Under the leadership of the new president, Kirsty Coventry, the IOC is shifting its stance to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports. Dr. Jane Thornton, the committee’s medical and scientific director and a former Canadian Olympic rower, presented the preliminary findings of the review to IOC members at a recent meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The scientific evidence highlighted by Dr. Thornton demonstrated that physical advantages associated with being born male persist even after transgender athletes undergo treatments to lower their testosterone levels. Sources described the presentation as factual and well-received by IOC members.
The current statement on Olympics.com emphasizes that transgender athletes who meet the eligibility criteria established by their International Federation (IF) should not face discrimination based on their gender identity or sex characteristics when competing in the Olympic Games.
Controversy arose during the boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics when two boxers, Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan, both claimed gold medals despite being disqualified from the previous year’s World Championships for allegedly failing to meet gender criteria. Following IOC recognition of World Boxing as the new international federation, mandatory sex testing has been introduced, preventing Khelif from competing in the female category until compliance.
The IOC is expected to announce its new policy in early 2026, potentially coinciding with the Winter Olympics session in February. Coventry, a former Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe elected as president this year, stressed the importance of protecting the female category while collaborating with international federations and adopting a scientific approach.
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